201 Serving Life - Familiaris Consortio (Pt. 3)

Mystery of Parenthood

In this episode, host Trey Cashion continued to break down the great encyclical of Pope St. John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio. In the second section of the letter, wherein the Holy Father explicates the four fundamental tasks of the family, JPII calls us to greatness by reminding us that, "the fundamental task of the family is to serve life, to actualize in history the original blessing of the Creator—that of transmitting by procreation the divine image from person to person." This divine image must be fed in the material, "moral, spiritual and supernatural" dimensions by the parents. Let us recognize that we are involved in illuminating for our children that they have embarked on a particular, special mission for God by being granted the gift of life. This is, in fact, the reality of each Christian's calling to holiness as explained so well in Lumen Gentium, no. 39:

each one of the faithful must willingly hear the Word of God and accept His Will, and must complete what God has begun by their own actions with the help of God's grace. These actions consist in the use of the sacraments and in a special way the Eucharist, frequent participation in the sacred action of the Liturgy, application of oneself to prayer, self-abnegation, lively fraternal service, and the constant exercise of all the virtues.

Remember, only God can take the mystery out of parenthood. Pray, parent with a purpose, and prepare for God to amaze you. He will!